Instrumental rock-fusion band TAUK is on tour following the release of their third studio album Sir Nebula. Their funky sound has found great success: by...

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Instrumental rock-fusion band TAUK is on tour following the release of their third studio album Sir Nebula. Their funky sound has found great success: by the end of their four month tour, TAUK will have performed in over half of the United States. TAUK also recently announced performances for various music festivals including the Electric Forest festival in 2017. TAUK’s keyboardist and organist Alric “A.C.” Carter talked to the Charger Bulletin about their recent releases in preparation for their show in Hamden:

Q: What artists inspire you? What influences your sound?

A: Our music forms through responding and reacting to each other. We listen to a lot of the same music, but also different stuff, so we take the best out of what we all have. I grew up listening to hip-hop, playing classical, listened to The Who and Led Zeppelin—Isaac has a background in gospel, we love jazz and rock organ like Phish—we try to take from both worlds.

Q: New Haven is a college city. How would you describe your sound to students that are thinking about attending your show?

A: It’s like an instrumental Pink Floyd meets The Roots live show. It’s experimental—experimental, eclectic rock fusion with all other elements.

Q: Your latest album Sir Nebula is an adventurous project. What do you want listeners to feel after listening to your album?

A: I hope people take what they can from it.. However, we want people to know that the studio record is an appetizer to the live show. I want to delve into more textures… expand, experiment, take more risks. People respond to risks… Keeping things fresh is very rewarding.

Q: The video for “Horizon” has some really unique visuals including ferromagnetic fluids and vivid colors. Why did you pair these visuals with the song?

A: It’s hard to make a traditional music video that’s engaging. Without lyrics, there isn’t a narrative to work with. We wanted to find something stimulating… and we put paint on petri dishes while a speaker played our song. We wanted something different.

Q: Are there any specific songs (on Sir Nebula or not) with which you have a distinct emotional connection? If not, any general favorites?

A: “Waver” is a song that pretty much everyone brought their own part to. Our strongest songs are where everyone has a fair share in the writing—this song is chill, angular and emotional all at once—it’s a headbanger. It has a little bit of an edge to it.

Q: What should fans expect from attending one of your shows?

A: To have fun. To be engaged, because we’re having fun. It’s infectious—we think about what fans want to see and what we want to put out. There’s lots of good vibes and good energy.

TAUK will be performing at The Outer Space in Hamden on December 10.

For more information about TAUK and their openers for their show, clickhere.

brought me to tears so many times throughout the four episode special, only to leave me

with frustration and questions that will most likely never get answered.”

The ending also created theories, and even raised hope for more episodes. Who is the

father of Rory’s baby? Will her past lover Jess help raise the child? Will this baby be the

child that Lorelai and Luke get to raise together? And lastly, how much coffee can you

drink while pregnant?

Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life strikes chords with the viewers, and if binge-watching

wasn’t enough, there is always one mantra every fan can go by: where you lead, I will

follow.

Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life is now streaming exclusively on Netflix

]]>http://www.chargerbulletin.com/2016/12/09/gilmore-revival-leaves-many-questions-unanswered-spoiler-alert/feed/0THE CHARGER BULLETIN22741The Magic of Snowballhttp://www.chargerbulletin.com/2016/12/09/the-magic-of-snowball/
http://www.chargerbulletin.com/2016/12/09/the-magic-of-snowball/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 13:14:00 +0000http://www.chargerbulletin.com/?p=22739Magic in the air, candlelight flickering at the dining tables, and the Sorting Hat, brought everyone together to have a good time and dancing and...]]>

Magic in the air, candlelight flickering at the dining tables, and the Sorting Hat, brought

everyone together to have a good time and dancing and laughter at this year’s Snowball.

The annual fall semi-formal dance was hosted on December 3 rd , at Amarantes Sea Cliff

in New Haven. This year’s theme for Snowball was Harry Potter. The dance was open to

all undergraduate students, and tickets were sold in the form of a Hogwarts letter.

Organized and planning of Snowball was done by the Class Presidents of 2017-2020,

and the Assistant Director of Campus Programs, Colleen Kerrigan. It took around a

month to plan and prepare for, and to bring the theme to life. All ideas and structure of

the event was student run, and CSELO helped to orchestrate it.

“Snowball is one of my favorite Fall events, and it’s a great way to end the semester and

bring everyone from all organizations together to celebrate. Being my last one, I am so

happy to say it was one of the best yet. I had so much fun and hope everyone else did as

well!”, said Keelin Herbst, Class of 2017 President.

Students brought the dance floor to life throughout the whole night, and even did the

mannequin challenge. The event has been larger in the past, but students that came

enjoyed the dinner, dance, and lots of picture taking.

“I thought Snowball was a great opportunity for students to enjoy themselves and not

worry about the stress school brings before finals week. Whether it was dancing to the

music on the dance floor or talking to your friends, everyone seemed to be having a

great time and I can’t wait to see what the Class Officers have in store for next year’s

Snowball.”, said Nicholas Mroczka, junior and USGA senator.

This year’s theme was much more immersive than past years. The Harry Potter event

had themed decorations, for example, pages from the books at each table served as a

centerpiece, a Sorting Hat and Hedwig in the lobby, with gifts addressed to Harry and

his friends under the Christmas tree. There was a photo booth that had props, a 9 ¾

platform sign, ties specific to each house, wands, and holiday themed props and signs as

well. Students enjoyed the familiarity of the loved franchise, and everyone received

rugby style U.N.H. colored scarves as a novelty item.

“The atmosphere was very enjoyable, from the music, the Harry Potter themed

decorations like the pages from the actual books on the tables, to the Sorting Hat at the

Lifelong bonds, leadership opportunities, social activities, giving back to the community, and career oriented networks. The Greek Life at the University of New Haven offers...

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Lifelong bonds, leadership opportunities, social activities, giving back to the community,

and career oriented networks. The Greek Life at the University of New Haven offers so

much for those who are active within it and are sure to build any student into a

successful leader as seen through the “Greek 101” presentations.

All the movies and stereotypes in the media about fraternities and sororities is not what

you will see at the University of New Haven. At U.N.H, the mission of the Greek Life

Program is to “enhance the personal development of its members through involvement

in social Greek-letter fraternities and sororities.” It is all about fostering a community

centered on educational and personal successes, culture, friendship, history, and

tradition. The core values are personal growth, community engagement,

brotherhood/sisterhood, scholarship and lifelong involvement.

Keelin Herberst, senior, shared how Greek Life has allowed her develop a lot of

professional skills, encouraged her to excel in academics, be an active member of her

community, and what kind of attitude people should have during recruitment.

Herberst said, “Greek life has allowed me to reach my full potential, without the faith

that others in the Greek Life community have in me I never would have seen it in myself

to go after leadership positions or internships. I would definitely suggest going in and

leaving behind any stereotypes that you have of Greek Life, or any preconceived ideas of

each org. When I went out I had my heart set on one org which I thought I best fit in

with, but after talking to the girls in other orgs I realized my home was somewhere else.

Come in with a positive attitude and be your true self.”

There are multiple Greek organizations on campus that all offer something for everyone.

The organizations fall under four different councils: Panhellenic, Inter-Fraternal,

Multicultural, and Independent.

Meghan Mammola, sophomore, is the executive assistant of the All Greek Council,

which encompasses all of the councils. Greek Life has positively affected her, helped her

personally grow, and given her many opportunities. She feels she’s found he home away

from home, and another family she knows she can rely on.

Mammolas said, “Being Greek is so much more than letters on a shirt, they are the

values I uphold as a person, the memories and friendships that will last a lifetime, and

the leadership opportunities that will benefit me in my professional career. During

recruitment, the most important thing to remember is to just be yourself, and with this

you will find the perfect place for you.”

Greek 101 sessions were mandatory for any student interested in going through any type

of Greek recruitment next semester and have wrapped up their sessions for the

semester. If for some reason you could not make a session you can reach out to the

Greek Interns at gogreek@newhaven.edu to learn more.

For more information, reach out to any members of the different Greek Councils, or

search Greek Life on the U.N.H website.

]]>http://www.chargerbulletin.com/2016/12/09/students-learn-about-going-greek/feed/0THE CHARGER BULLETIN22732Better Locked Down Than Outhttp://www.chargerbulletin.com/2016/12/09/better-locked-down-than-out/
http://www.chargerbulletin.com/2016/12/09/better-locked-down-than-out/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 13:08:21 +0000http://www.chargerbulletin.com/?p=22727As the December 1 expiration approached, Major League Baseball owners, Players’ Association, and main offices scrambled to settle upon a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. While...]]>

As the December 1 expiration approached, Major League Baseball owners, Players’

Association, and main offices scrambled to settle upon a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

While the MLB hasn’t had a work stoppage since the 1994-95 season, the other three “Big Four”

sports leagues have all had at least one in the past decade. While some never doubted that the

groups would eventually come together for an agreement, some baseball enthusiasts were scared,

remembering the players’ strike of the mid-1990s. On the night of Nov. 30, with a lockout and

cancellation of the annual Winter Meetings for General Managers looming, the three groups

struck a deal that will be active until the offseason of 2021. Many of the changes have been

talked about for years, but some offer new insights to the way that the players and owners are

thinking.

Some of the new provisions in the CBA are clearly ideas from the Players’ Association to

protect and better serve the players. Beginning in 2018, the MLB regular season will be

expanded from 183 days to 187 days. The teams will not be playing any more games, but this

will allow players to have more days off in between series, noting health concerns and playoff

fatigue. Included in this portion are also restrictions on the start time of games on the day before

travelling so the players can get to the destination faster and be more rested for the coming

series.

The minimum Major League salary will also increase from the current $535 thousand for

the 2017 season to $555 thousand in 2019. The final two years of agreement will be based on a

cost-of- living adjustment, which highlights some uncertainty on both fronts about the movement

of our economy. In addition to this slight increase in salary, Major League teams will have to

provide all players access to a sports psychologist throughout the season. While it may seem like

the players are gaining a lot through this CBA, it also shows that owners might actually be

starting to care about the safety and well-being of their respective players. They should know

that morale in a clubhouse is almost as important as the talent on the field, and these are great

leaps to have content players.

Despite the players seemingly receiving many benefits from the new agreement, the

owners and Major League Baseball as a whole, gained their fair share of new provisions. As

baseball continues to grow at an international level, the MLB will follow the NFL’s model with

regular season games scheduled to be played abroad in places like Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the

Dominican Republic. This allows the MLB to grow the game around the world, while also

raking in some revenue as their own teams will play. Earlier this year, London Mayor, Sadiq

Khan, stated that he would love for Major League Baseball to come to London and believes that

there should be a European section of the MLB.

In regards to international players, the groups agreed upon a hard cap on spending, rather

than an international draft, which had been rumored for months. More than likely deciding

against the draft due to the lobbying of current players and protests and MLB academies in

Venezuela, each team will now be given a hard cap on a variety of factors which will likely

increase competition within the game. The Luxury Tax was introduced in the prior CBA to curb

spending and allow small market teams to compete for big name free agents. Currently, the limit

is $189 million, but many owners don’t really care if they spend over, as long as they can

assemble the best team money can buy. Now, the rates will increase each year of the CBA, as

well as have repeat offenders be forced to pay a surcharge tax added on top of the original tax.

The teams which have a payroll $40 million or more above the Tax Threshold will have their

highest selection in the draft moved back ten picks for competitive balance reasons.

The new Collective Bargaining Agreement among the owners, players’ association, and

the MLB offices proves that Major League Baseball has the best labor relations in the Big Four.

And while that is always up to interpretation of what actually makes good relations, by the end of

this CBA, the MLB will have gone 27 of uninterrupted labor peace without a lockout or strike. It

might seem that rich men are just complaining with richer men about money, there are a lot of

important factors that continue to evolve such as safety and the international market that will

change the 2021 view on the CBA provisions. Right now, we can be grateful that baseball is

Can we all agree that it’s at that point in the semester where you just want it all to be over? It’s that time when...

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Can we all agree that it’s at that point in the semester where you just want it all to be over? It’s that time when you just want your homework to magically complete itself, papers are done, finals are over, and life can be amazing again, but unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way.
It is the last week before finals and the stress of getting everything done on time is at the highest point that it will ever get. Students struggle to study, cry, and wonder why they are working so hard for their degree; they debate on whether or not their degree is worth the stress.
If there’s one thing that we all have learned about being in college, it is that no matter how stressful it gets—it is always worth it. Everyone knows that greater things are coming after this storm that we call finals—we all get to go home and enjoy our lovely Christmas and New Year’s. We get to hang out with family and friends and behave like we didn’t just cry over a final that we probably didn’t know the answers to until after the final or struggle to complete a paper at the last minute.
It is the end of the semester where most college students will drink and party before finals because they want to destress before the struggle begins. They want to have fun because they know that they will be too tired, worried, and busy with studying to party.
If you are not a party person, then Netflix works as a similar vice. Each person has their own ways to destress and cope with the outcomes of their semester. At the end of the day, we are survivors because we work hard for the future career that we want.
We struggle now so that we do not have to struggle later and we risk our sanity for that future career. It is shocking to think that our sanity is what we lose in the process of building our careers or educating ourselves.
Stress can be hard on some people and it could make or break a person’s life. It is what causes some people to not go to college or to not finish because it can be too much to handle. It is okay and everything will be fine because once finals are over that is when the real fun begins.
May the answers forever be in your favor!

Destruction, pain, separation of families, and a country that was once thriving crumbled down physically, politically, and emotionally because of one man named Fidel Castro....

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Destruction, pain, separation of families, and a country that was once thriving crumbled down physically, politically, and emotionally because of one man named Fidel Castro.
On November 25, 2016 at around 10:29 p.m. it was announced that Castro had passed away.
In Cuba there are nine days of mourning for the fallen dictator, but in Miami, Florida it is quite the opposite. Celebrations and gatherings are happening around all the major Cuban hotspots in Miami because of the person who ruined the lives of so many people. From that Friday to even now, Cuban exiles and families have lined the streets of Kendall, Hialeah, and Little Havana.
Coming from Cuban heritages ourselves, my friends and I drove to 8th street, which is in Little Havana, to participate in this celebration. You knew you were close because as you approached the street you were stuck in a line of cars honking their horns, playing Spanish music, banging pots and pans, and raising the Cuban flag proudly out the window. The sounds that filled the air were an uproar of excitement to us all.
When we finally found a place to park, we walked to a section of 8th street that was blocked off by police cars for everyone to gather at. It is called Calle Ocho and is a major place where many social events happen and some of the best Cuban food is made. Little Havana is actually the best known neighborhood for Cuban exiles in the world.
That night, I have never been so proud to be Cuban because every step taken closer into the masses was another memory, another exile, another life being reborn and remembered in the face of liberated Cubans coming together. News stations flocked the site, Cuban and American Flags swayed all around, cries of happiness and chanting “viva Cuba Castro no!” were filling the atmosphere. It was the celebration of an end to an era of communism that was culminated by homemade instruments of pots and pans and fireworks.

In the midst of it all it also began to rain, as if the rebirth of a country was starting in the streets that night and hope was raining down on us all. As the night went on singing, dancing, and chanting continued. At around 2:48 a.m. a band of bongos and drums streamed in from the empty streets and roars came in from the other side of the street as they were spotted. The crowds gravitated towards the sound of freedom ringing in the hearts of so many individuals that have been affected by the mass destruction that Castro had caused.
Cubans know that Raul Castro, the brother of Fidel, who is now in power is cut from the same cloth, but that is not the reason for the celebration. We all know not much will change, but it’s the symbol of Fidel’s death that gives us a sense of liberation and freedom because the one person that affected so many people can’t hurt them anymore.
I believe Gloria Estefan, an icon in the Latin world, put it in perfect words saying, “it is the symbolic death of the destructive ideologies that he espoused that, I believe, is filling the Cuban exile community with renewed hope and a relief that has been long in coming. And although the grip of Castro’s regime will not loosen overnight, the demise of a leader that oversaw the annihilation of those with an opposing view, the indiscriminate jailing of innocents, the separation of families, the censure of his people’s freedom to speak, state sanctioned terrorism and the economic destruction of a once thriving and successful country, can only lead to positive change for the Cuban people and our world.”
Every person that was there had a story to tell, which is part of the beauty of it all. Looking around, you may not have known the majority of people there but it didn’t matter because everyone had shared a common ground, and that was enough.
Many people were there because they lived through the pain themselves when coming over here as children but also there were many people that came for their grandparents who didn’t live to see the day marked in history. Many of our grandparents from Cuban descent in Florida came here fleeing the country of a place they called home, leaving everything and everyone they knew for the chance for a better life. Think about leaving your home forever to go to a foreign place where you have never been and you could never go back home because you would be imprisoned, this was a choice so many Cubans had to make.
There are many reasons as to why Castro’s death means so much to people and I for one cannot blame them for feeling this way because my family has been effected by him in a big way themselves. My great grandfather for one lost everything he had because of him and ended up being imprisoned and almost killed multiple times because of him, but luckily enough he was able to escape it.
I felt, witnessing it all, that I was a part of history being made. It was beautiful to see so many people feeling so overjoyed because all the pain they and their families went through was finally over in a sense. It was heartwarming to see and be a part of and it made me truly see how much we have here in America. A land where, although it is going through a time of struggle, we still have freedom and democracy.
Hopefully from all the celebrations going on this will go back to Raul Castro and he will want to be a different kind of leader, one that will do more for his people and a person people will mourn for instead of wanting to dance over his grave.

As I binge watch The Walking Dead, I often trick myself into thinking that I could defend myself like Michonne and carry around a samurai...

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As I binge watch The Walking Dead, I often trick myself into thinking that I could defend myself like Michonne and carry around a samurai sword, lead a group like Rick, and be independent like Carol. Unfortunately, reality hits me, and I realize I’m a big wuss who would probably projectile vomit and lose consciousness if I saw a zombie approaching me from a mile away.
So, my softness brings me to a very important question: What would actually happen during a zombie apocalypse? How many would there be? Where would they come from? Do they hold the same characteristics as the ones in TWD? Do they perish in same way? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN?
I like to play this game in my mind when I’m bored in class. If zombies began flooding this room, what is my weapon of choice? I then look around the room, looking for items that I would be able to blast through zombies with, and I usually settle on the metal leg of a desk. A metal leg of a desk. Then I panic – how am I going to get the metal leg off the desk? I like to think with all of the adrenaline and fear that I would magically develop super strength and tear the leg off the chair with my bare hands and be everyone’s hero, but no. I’d be the first to jump out of the window and leave everyone behind.
Everyone likes to think that they would be able to defend themselves, but no one would know what to do. Even though they are already dead, most of us would not be able to drive a weapon through a zombie’s brain. After years of being outnumbered by zombies, like in TWD, I’m sure some people would develop the ability (or just lose their mind) to exterminate said zombies.
But do you really think that zombies would last on earth for years? Scientifically, probably not. First of all, they would never be able to take the heat, especially zombies who have risen from the dirt. Only rarely does TWD portray the effect that the sun could have on zombies, but in reality, I think the sun would be more apparent and beneficial to eliminating zombies from the world. Also, since they are a bunch of corpses walking around, they will do what corpses do. Bloat. Except since they are walking around with growing bacteria in them (you know, from being dead and all), they will most likely burst from inflammation. It’s also worth mentioning that certain predators would take part in ingesting zombie brains.
Ultimately, we would have some temporary and natural defense mechanisms (so we think), but we still have to look on the other hand. What if all hell breaks lose and the heat doesn’t affect the zombies?
I suggest that we start playing the “choose your weapon” game. Pretend that zombies are coming and you need a weapon to defend yourself immediately. I like to pretend that somewhere, somehow, a samurai sword will appear, and I will magically and remarkably know how to slice and dice a zombie.

With the University of New Haven football team losing twenty Seniors to graduation following the conclusion of the 2016 season, the Chargers are looking for guys to fill some big shoes on both...

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With the University of New Haven football team losing twenty Seniors to graduation following the conclusion of the 2016 season, the Chargers are looking for guys to fill some big shoes on both sides of the ball. Losing guys like, Ajee Patterson, Andre Anderson, and Tyler Condit can be a huge blow to the team if these spots aren’t filled by the right person or handled the right way. Offensively, it’s really just a next man up situation; with players like, Junior Kellen Croce and Freshman Devon Balmer, who missed majority of this past season with a knee injury, hoping to fill the spot at quarterback.

The running back position will quickly become a fight between three Freshmen and a Sophomore, those Freshmen being Ryan McCarthy, JoJo Robinson, and Josiah Shumaker. The departure of Andre Anderson and Lemar Thomas leaves Chris Liggio to be the top dog in the backfield. Prior to the 2016 season, in which both Liggio and Croce saw very limited game action, Liggio didn’t see the field at all and Croce, on the other hand, saw one game in his first year as a Charger. However, an offense isn’t complete without an offensive line to protect their quarterback and a good set of receivers for that quarterback to throw to, and whoever starts at quarterback, whether it be Croce or Balmer, won’t have much to worry about, given the slew of offensive linemen that can replace the graduating seniors that include, Zach Voytek and Stephen Rossi among others. As for the receiving core, Juniors Khaneil Bruce and Devin Martin will be playing a bigger role for sure, along with some help from a few different guys.

Now, on the defensive side of the ball, not much changes. The star of the defense, linebacker Tyler Condit may be gone, along with the whole starting rotation of defensive linemen, but with the depth of the defense, the Chargers will have no problem filling holes left by the seniors. In the defensive backfield, Mark Clements, Stefano Bicknese, and Matt Olivo will step up and play bigger roles as the leaders of the defense. These can been seen as way too early predictions of what the Chargers will look like on the field, but there are some things that can and should be taken into some real consideration.

Believe it or not, the New Haven Chargers will be a completely different team next season. It may be for the better or the worse – hopefully the better—but at the end of the day the Chargers will be different.

Hello humans! Thank you for such an incredible semester! I am eager to see how you will all end the semester so hold on to those last...

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Hello humans!

Thank you for such an incredible semester! I am eager to see how you will all end the semester so hold on to those last precious dining dollars and crush those finals! Remember to keep well rested, stay calm, and enjoy your last few weeks with your friends before heading home for the break. I hope you all enjoy a happy and safe time with family and friends and look forward to seeing you all again in January!